Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 173
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving or the electric
drive unit could be damaged.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the vehicle operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
0 232.
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle.
Press the brake pedal and press
and release POWER
O. If the RKE transmitter is not in the
vehicle or something is interfering
with the transmitter, a message
displays in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the vehicle will not start due to a
low RKE transmitter battery, the
vehicle can still be driven. See
“Starting the Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery”
inRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 032.
A Welcome, Ready, and Good-bye
audio message will be heard in the
vehicle and animated on the
instrument cluster when opening the
driver door upon entry, when the
vehicle is ready to be driven, and
when the vehicle is turned off.
The instrument cluster displays an
active fuel and/or battery gauge,
along with an audio startup cue,
when the vehicle is ready to be
driven. This could take up to
15 seconds at extremely cold
temperatures. The engine will only
start if needed. If the vehicle did not
start, the instrument cluster will display a screen with inactive fuel
and battery gauges. See
Starting
and Stopping the Vehicle 0172.
Restarting Procedure
If the vehicle must be restarted
while it is still moving, move the shift
lever to N (Neutral) and press
POWER
Otwice without pressing
the brake pedal. The propulsion
system will not restart in any other
position.
Forced Engine On
Some vehicle conditions that force
the engine to run:
. There are cold ambient
temperatures.
. The hood is open or not
completely latched while the
vehicle is not in N (Neutral).
. The high voltage battery has a
low charge.
. The engine needs to run for
maintenance.
See Maintenance Modes 0180.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 177
Extended Range Mode
When the vehicle reaches the end
of its electric range, it switches to
Extended Range Mode (ERM). In
this secondary mode, electricity is
produced by the fuel-powered
engine. This secondary source of
electric power extends the vehicle
range. Operation will continue in
ERM until the vehicle can be
plugged in to recharge the high
voltage battery and restore
Electric Mode.
The high voltage battery will
continue to provide some power and
work together with the engine to
provide peak performance when it is
required, such as driving up a steep
incline or for high acceleration
maneuvers. The battery will not be
charged nor will electric vehicle
range be restored by the engine.
In either Electric Mode or Extended
Range Mode, when the hood is
open and the vehicle is moving at
low speed or stopped, the engine
will run without turning off if the
vehicle is on, except when theelectric drive unit is in N (Neutral).
The engine will turn off or remain off
at low vehicle speed in N (Neutral).
The high voltage battery is not
charged when this occurs. Under
these conditions, the high voltage
battery can still be discharged
based on the vehicle loads such as
A/C, or 12-volt loads.
In either Electric Mode or Extended
Range Mode, if there is a high
voltage battery fault, the engine may
run without turning off to generate
needed electricity. The malfunction
indicator lamp will turn on. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light)
0114.
Driver Selected Operating
Modes
While driving in Electric or Extended
Range Mode, additional operating
modes can be selected.
Press MODE to display selectable
drive modes in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). Continue
pressing to scroll through the
modes.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
178 Driving and Operating
Highlight either the Sport, Mountain,
or Hold Mode, then release MODE.
After three seconds, the new drive
mode will become active.
Pressing MODE again will return to
Normal Mode, and it will become
active after three seconds.
During some conditions, certain
drive modes may be unavailable.
The unavailable mode is grayed out
in the DIC menu and cannot be
selected.
If in Sport, Mountain, or Hold Mode,
the mode may become unavailable
and the vehicle will return to NormalMode. The indicator light goes off
and a DIC message displays. See
Propulsion Power Messages
0136.
The vehicle will stay in Normal
Mode at the next restart.
Sport Mode
Sport Mode provides more
responsive acceleration than
Normal Mode, but can reduce
efficiency. Use Normal Mode
whenever possible.
Press MODE to select Sport Mode. Press MODE again to return to
Normal Mode and it becomes active
after three seconds.
Each time the vehicle is started, it
will return to Normal Mode.
Mountain Mode
Mountain Mode should be selected
at the beginning of a trip before
climbing steep, uphill grades and
when expecting to drive in very hilly
or mountainous terrain. This mode
maintains a reserve electrical
charge of the high voltage battery to
provide better grade climbing
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 179
performance. While driving in
Mountain Mode, the vehicle will
have less responsive acceleration.
Mountain Mode will not change
normal vehicle braking performance
for steep downhill grades.
SeeHill and Mountain Roads 0165
and Electric Drive Unit 0183.
Press MODE to select Mountain
Mode. If steep hill driving is
expected, it is recommended to
select Mountain Mode at least
20 minutes before driving on steep
grades. This will allow the vehicle
time to build a sufficient battery
charge reserve.
If Mountain Mode is not selected for
these conditions, propulsion power
may be reduced and the engine
speed may increase. See
Propulsion Power Messages 0136.
The engine may run when Mountain
Mode is selected, depending on the
high voltage battery charge, to build
reserve battery charge for uphill
climbs. If Mountain Mode is entered
with a sufficient battery charge
reserve, the battery charge reserve will appear grayed out and any
battery charge reserve still unused
upon exiting Mountain Mode will
return to normal appearance.
Press MODE again to return to
Normal Mode and it becomes active
after three seconds.
Each time the vehicle is started, it
will return to Normal Mode to
maintain a smaller battery charge
reserve for normal driving.
Hold Mode
Use Hold Mode on a trip where it is
expected that all of the electric
charge will be depleted. Use HoldMode mainly during highway or high
speed driving to maximize both EV
miles and fuel efficiency.
Hold Mode is only available when
the vehicle is in Electric Mode. This
mode places the remaining battery
charge into a reserve for the driver
to use as desired. Selecting this
mode transitions the vehicle to
Extended Range Mode to maintain
the battery charge reserve.
Upon exiting Hold Mode, the
reserved battery charge becomes
available again and the vehicle
returns to Electric Mode. If the
transition is from Hold Mode directly
to Mountain Mode, the electric
range displayed adjusts for the
Mountain Mode charge reserve.
Hold Mode will not change normal
vehicle acceleration or braking
performance.
Press MODE to select Hold Mode.
Press MODE again to return to
Normal Mode and it becomes active
after three seconds.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
180 Driving and Operating
Each time the vehicle is started, it
will return to Normal Mode.
Out of Fuel/Engine
Unavailable
If the vehicle runs out of fuel, or the
engine will not start due to a
malfunction, the vehicle can
continue to be driven in Electric
Mode until the current charge is
depleted. The vehicle will have less
responsive acceleration. DIC
messages indicate reduced
propulsion power, that the engine is
not available, and the need for fuel
or service.
Once the vehicle is refueled, or the
malfunction is corrected, the engine
will start the next time the vehicle is
turned on to perform a self test, and
DIC messages will not be displayed.
Once the engine starts successfully,
normal operation will continue in
either Electric or Extended Range
Mode. The engine may stop running
after the self test is completed,
based on the current mode of
operation.
Maintenance Modes
Engine Maintenance Mode (EMM)
EMM runs the engine to keep it in
good working condition after
approximately six weeks of no or
very limited engine operation. EMM
will force the engine to run, even if
there is a charge to power the
vehicle.
When EMM is needed, the EMM
Request screen appears on the
infotainment display at vehicle start.
If Yes is selected, EMM will begin.
The engine will not start until after a
short delay once shifted into
D (Drive). The engine will run for a
set amount of time without turningoff. During EMM, a DIC message
displays to show the
EMM percentage complete.
If No is selected, the EMM Request
screen will appear when the vehicle
is next started. The EMM request
can be delayed for up to one day.
If the EMM request was delayed for
one day, EMM will automatically
start the engine at the next vehicle
start. The engine will not start until
after a short delay once shifted into
D (Drive).
An EMM Notification screen will
appear in the infotainment display.
If the vehicle is shut off during EMM,
it will restart the next time the
vehicle is driven.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 181
A message displays to indicate that
EMM is active.
If EMM is required and the fuel level
is low, EMM may eventually empty
the fuel tank if fuel is not added.
This will result in reduced, or no
power. An adequate fuel level must
be maintained in the vehicle to keep
it operational. SeePropulsion Power
Messages 0136.
Fuel Maintenance Mode (FMM)
FMM tracks average fuel age. Old
fuel can cause engine problems.
If low engine usage causes average
fuel age to exceed approximately
one year, FMM will run the engine to
use up the old fuel. The engine will
run until enough fresh fuel is added
to bring the average fuel age into an acceptable range. Allowing more old
fuel to be used up by FMM and
adding a larger amount of fresh fuel
will maximize the length of time
before another fuel maintenance
mode is needed. During FMM the
engine may turn on and off.
When FMM is needed, the FMM
Request screen appears on the
infotainment display at vehicle start.
If Yes is selected, FMM will begin.
The engine will not start until after a
short delay once shifted into
D (Drive). FMM will automatically
continue at each vehicle start until
fresh fuel is added.
If No is selected, the FMM Request
screen will appear when the vehicle
is next started. The FMM request
can be delayed for only one day.
If the FMM request was delayed for
one day, FMM will start at the next
vehicle start and display the FMM
Notification screen on the
infotainment display. The engine will
not start until after a short delay
once shifted into D (Drive).
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
186 Driving and Operating
The vehicle has an Electric Parking
Brake (EPB). The EPB can always
be activated, even if the ignition is
off. To prevent draining the battery,
avoid repeated cycles of the EPB
system when the engine is not
running.
The system has a
Yor PARK
Electric Parking Brake light, and a
8
Service Parking Brake light.
See Electric Parking Brake Light
0 117 and Service Electric Parking
Brake Light 0117.
Before leaving the vehicle, check for
the
Yor PARK light to ensure that
the parking brake is applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Pull the EPB switch momentarily.
The
Yor PARK light will flash and
then stay on once the EPB is fully
applied. If the
Yor PARK light flashes continuously, then the EPB
is only partially applied or there is a
problem with the EPB. A DIC
message will display. Release the
EPB and try to apply it again. If the
light does not come on, or keeps
flashing, have the vehicle serviced.
Do not drive the vehicle if the
Yor
PARK light is flashing. See your
dealer. See Electric Parking Brake
Light 0117.
If the
8light is on, press and hold
the EPB switch. Continue to hold
the switch until the
Yor PARK
light remains on. If the
8light
remains on, see your dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is moving, the vehicle will
decelerate as long as the switch is
pressed. If the switch is pressed
until the vehicle comes to a stop,
the EPB will remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically apply
the EPB in some situations when
the vehicle is not moving. This is
normal, and is done to periodically
check the correct operation of the
EPB system. If the EPB fails to apply, block the
rear wheels to prevent vehicle
movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:
1. Turn the ignition on or to ACC/ ACCESSORY.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Press the EPB switch momentarily.
The EPB is released when the
Y
or PARK light is off.
If the
8light is on, release the EPB
by pressing and holding the EPB
switch. Continue to hold the switch
until the
Yor PARK light is off.
If either light stays on after release
is attempted, see your dealer.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 187
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The Hill Start Assist (HSA) feature
will activate when the vehicle is
stopped on a moderate to steep
grade to help prevent it from rolling
in an unintended direction. After the
brake pedal has been released and
before the accelerator pedal has
been pressed, HSA uses brakingpressure to hold the vehicle
stationary. If HSA is holding the
vehicle, a DIC message displays.
HSA will not activate in a forward
drive gear when facing downhill,
or in R (Reverse) when facing uphill.
Extended Hill Start
Assist (EHSA)
To change the duration of the HSA
feature, see
“Extended Hill Start
Assist" under “Comfort and
Convenience” inVehicle
Personalization 0137. When
Standard Hold is selected, the
vehicle is held stationary for up to
two seconds after the brake pedal is
released. When Extended Hold is
selected, the vehicle is held
stationary for up to five minutes
after the brake pedal is released. In
either case, override the hold
feature by pressing the accelerator
pedal and attempting to drive away.
If Hill Start Assist is selected in the
Settings menu, it will hold the
vehicle for two seconds unless the
driver door is opened or the driver
seat belt is unbuckled after releasing the brake pedal.
If Extended Hill Start Assist is
selected, it will hold the vehicle for
five minutes unless the driver door
is opened and the driver seat belt is
unbuckled prior to releasing the
brake pedal. When EHSA is
deactivated after five minutes, or if it
is deactivated when the driver seat
belt is unlatched or the driver door is
opened, the Electric Parking Brake
will engage to prevent vehicle
movement.
Regenerative Braking
Some braking energy from the
moving vehicle is turned back into
electrical energy. This energy is
then stored back into the high
voltage battery system, increasing
energy efficiency.
The hydraulic disc brakes work with
the regenerative braking to ensure
effective braking, such as when a
high braking demand is requested.